News

White van suspected of abduction attempt

ACT Policing is seeking assistance from the public in locating a white van that may have been involved in a possible attempted abduction early yesterday (Monday, March 18).

About 7.30am, an eight-year-old girl was walking along Forsythe Street, Banks towards a bus stop on Pockett Avenue when she saw a white van stopped on the opposite side of the road.

The male driver of the white van got out of the vehicle and approached the girl telling her to ‘get into my van’. The girl ran off to the bus stop where she met other persons, she was unharmed.

The male driver is described as dark skinned, about 5’2” (158cm) tall, around 40 years of age, skinny build, dark eyes, big ears and short black hair. He was wearing a black T-shirt, black long pants, black gloves and had a black cap.

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Police are appealing for help from the public in locating the vehicle involved. The white van had a black bull-bar with NSW registration plates (possibly containing a number 2 and 6).

Anyone who may have seen a car matching this description and may be able to assist police with the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via act.crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

And this is one of the reasons why I pick up my daughter every day from school, and my husband drops her there. (Used to walk together, no longer can.)

No eight year old should be doing this on her or his own.

Mostly because of traffic, which an eight year old can not possibly understand. However the occasional pervert confirms me in my decision.

Thankfully this little girl was able to escape. Many children are more gullible.

Her parents clearly prepared her well. Little to do with being gullible.

And there were plenty of kids going to school on the bus from a very young age when I grew up. Being driven or even escorted to school was rare then.

I would suggest that you go read some stats on the risk of child abduction by strangers. Your child is at an infinitely higher risk of coming to serious harm by being driven around every day.

And by 8 a child should have been taught how to cross roads safely. You seriously underestimate kids if you think this isn’t possible, but it does take considerable time and effort and requires you to cross lots of roads with them. They don’t just magically gain that skill at 12.

The world isn’t less safe than it was 30 years ago but for some reason 8 has become the new 4.

There were stories of attempted abductions when I was in primary. It’s nothing new. I hope they manage to find this guy and warn him off and/or keep an eye on him. But the best way to protect your kids is still to teach them how to respond to any threat of abuse, especially by people they know as that is a way more likely threat.

Normally I’m all for parents giving children more freedoms and responsibility but isn’t eight years old just a little bit too young to be walking alone to the bus stop?

Although I will say I don’t know the area so I may be completely off base.

Not sure why you start this comment with “I’m all for…” because the rest indicates that you are not. An 8yo is perfectly capable of walking to the bus stop and taking the bus by themselves. I don’t know why you would think they are not.

Because they’re eight.
I’m from the generation where our parents let us run around the neighbourhood for many hours after school but even in those times it wasn’t til we were nine/ten or so that we were given freedoms to catch the bus or ride to school fully unattended.

Hearing of this just seems weird when we’re told that parents are all scared of their children being abducted and wrap them in cotton wool. Maybe the constant media messages on these issues is what threw me initially.

Normally I’m all for parents giving children more freedoms and responsibility but isn’t eight years old just a little bit too young to be walking alone to the bus stop?

Although I will say I don’t know the area so I may be completely off base.

Not sure why you start this comment with “I’m all for…” because the rest indicates that you are not. An 8yo is perfectly capable of walking to the bus stop and taking the bus by themselves. I don’t know why you would think they are not.

Spot on reaction from the girl. I role play this sort of stuff occasionally with my 8yo but our imaginary abductors are usually a lot more cunning.

What are they going to do when they find this guy though? He hasn’t committed a crime and it would be hard to proof what his intentions were. Of course it sounds like a great idea for the police to have a chat to him to let him know he is now on their radar. But that must be all they can do at this stage.

I would think that any attempt to coerce a minor to get into a van would fall into the category of attempted abduction

Spot on reaction from the girl. I role play this sort of stuff occasionally with my 8yo but our imaginary abductors are usually a lot more cunning.

What are they going to do when they find this guy though? He hasn’t committed a crime and it would be hard to proof what his intentions were. Of course it sounds like a great idea for the police to have a chat to him to let him know he is now on their radar. But that must be all they can do at this stage.

Spot on reaction from the girl. I role play this sort of stuff occasionally with my 8yo but our imaginary abductors are usually a lot more cunning.

What are they going to do when they find this guy though? He hasn’t committed a crime and it would be hard to proof what his intentions were. Of course it sounds like a great idea for the police to have a chat to him to let him know he is now on their radar. But that must be all they can do at this stage.